


Cold Water

by RecordRewind



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Drabble, Gen, Illusions, Imprisonment, M/M, Mindfuck, Unknown Enemy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-05
Updated: 2014-04-05
Packaged: 2018-01-18 06:28:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1418376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RecordRewind/pseuds/RecordRewind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Breaking the Captain is no easy task. Not until they find the right mask for their illusion to wear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cold Water

It comes as no surprise that the Captain is the one it takes the longer to break.

His thoughts and memories are easy to probe. He wears the faces of those he cares for the most on the front of his mind, like keepsakes, like charms. Like reminders of what he fights for. Like a warning against, and penance for, the mistakes he made.

The face of the soldier he could not save.

Steve doesn't falter when they send images of Bucky to visit him into his dark cell. Bucky as a kid, the long-time friend. Bucky wearing a tattered uniform, the faithful companion on the battlefield.

Bucky, the casualty of war.

Steve looks right through the illusion, doesn't react to the disappointment into those eyes, replies not to the silent accusation they scream.

It takes some time to adjust the aim.

The Winter Soldier stares at the bound Captain, his expression devoid of any feeling. Steve's gaze falls to the ground, his eyes shut, for a few seconds. He forces himself to look up again, to stare right back at those umpassive eyes.

“I'm sorry,” Steve breathes out, his voice but a ragged whisper. He knows he shouldn't speak to the ghost, he knows that's just another trick. But he feels tired, and he has been fighting against this enemy long before this cell.

“I'm sorry I let this happen. I'm sorry I let them do this to you.”

Steve knows Bucky isn't there. 

Knowing is not enough.

It is not enough, when the Winter Soldier frowns, looks at him in confusion, it is not enough when the barest hint of recognition flickers into his eyes, when _know me know me KNOW ME_ is a chant that thunders inside Steve's mind, when the Soldier parts his lips, as if to say something, as if to say a name...

 

Steve is alone in the cell.

The sob gets caught, caged inside his throat, and Steve closes his eyes again, hardens his resolve. Wills himself strong, wills himself to endure.

Yet those few drops, those unspilled tears, have already slipped inside the tiniest cracks. With the cold they will freeze, and they say ice will break what fire can't melt.


End file.
